Dark Side

by The Emcee

Arthur never thought of himself as beautiful or attractive, which is why he never really believed that Eames could be in love with him. It was possible for the Englishman to love the sex they had, but that was all it was to him, right? When Arthur discovers something, he ends their…whatever they had, but he finds out years later that, maybe, he made a mistake. Slash. Eames/Arthur.

Title: Dark Side

Author: The Emcee

Rating: T

Summary: Arthur never thought of himself as beautiful or attractive, which is why he never really believed that Eames could be in love with him. It was possible for the Englishman to love the sex they had, but that was all it was to him, right? When Arthur discovers something, he ends their…whatever they had, but he finds out years later that, maybe, he made a mistake.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, actors, or the fandom. This story will contain m/m and mpreg, so if you don't like then don't read.

A/N: I wanted to write an Eames/Arthur story, so here it is. It's sad and long and the end kind of sucks, but oh well. R&R. Enjoy!

…

Dark Side

Everybody's got a dark side.

Do you love me?

Can you love mine?

Nobody's a picture perfect.

But we're worth it.

You know that we're worth it.

Will you love me?

Even with my dark side?

Dark Side, Kelly Clarkson

…

Arthur never thought of himself as attractive.

Before high school, before middle school even, kids made fun of him and drilled it into his mind that he wasn't beautiful or cute or handsome or hot or sexy or anything but ordinary. Plain. Average. Boring. At first, he was too small and too skinny. Then, he was too scrawny and too geeky. Finally, in high school, he was too tall and sickingly skinny with nasty, taped glasses. It didn't help that he was incredibly smart and was more than capable of finding out everything about anyone that he wanted to look into. That made him even more of a freak though, and Arthur found that he had very few friends by the time he graduated.

Even after graduating from college and becoming associated with Dom and Mal Cobb, Arthur still couldn't rewire how he saw himself. Whenever he looked in the mirror, he still saw the awkward, too skinny, too tall teenager even though the taped glasses had long since vanished and even though he had gained a tiny bit of muscle mass. But he was used to it, comfortable even, with how he was and how he looked. The talents he possessed more than made up for his obvious lack of physical and sexual appeal and that was what really mattered. Doing his job and being the best at what he did was more important. Far more important than trying to make himself believe that he was attractive, anyway.

Until he met Eames, that is.

The Englishman was unlike anyone Arthur had ever met before in his life. He appeared very laid by, perhaps even uncaring, and he enjoyed making light of situations and making people laugh. But Arthur knew that, when it came down to it, Eames could be very serious and held little to no trust in anyone. Like Arthur, though, he was the best at what he did, and the Cobbs worked with only the best. Even if Eames could be a dick and loved tormenting Arthur to no end, much to the point man's chagrin. Arthur wouldn't have minded it so much if it wasn't for the constant flirting that was always thrown his way by the forger. And, if he was being brutally honest with himself, the reason why the flirting bothered him so much was because Arthur knew that Eames meant none of it and that it was just a bunch of pretty lies.

He wasn't an idiot; he recognized that Eames was very attractive (not that he'd ever admit that out loud to anyone). Arthur also knew that, when compared to the older man or anyone else on the team, he himself was an ugly duckling. So he knew that the words and suggestions that constantly tumbled out of Eames' mouth and that were directed solely at him were just that: words. Nothing more and nothing less; the only thing Eames meant by them was to annoy and irritate Arthur. At that, the man was very successful. But there were some times that Arthur, when looking back at some of the jobs that he pulled with the Cobbs and Eames, wished that they were more than just words.

Because as much as he tried to tell himself that being ordinary and boring was just fine and that being alone was a piece of cake, there was always a part of him that wanted to believe that Eames was being sincere. Because there was a small part of Arthur that actually liked Eames, a lot, and that same part of him liked to, on occasion, contemplate what it'd be like to be with the Englishman. But those thoughts were often quickly squashed and pushed out of his mind. Arthur had a job to do, he always had a job to do, and wishful thinking allowed him to accomplish nothing. Especially when all his wishful thinking would gain him was a cold, empty bed and the ache in his chest at knowing that he was still that too tall and too skinny boy that no one liked.

…

Arthur honestly had no idea when he started sleeping with Eames.

He couldn't quite recall what led up to their first night in bed together. All he remembered was that he had never felt so appreciated before, so cared for, even if all he was was a warm body to make love to and to keep a bed warm for a couple of hours. It surprised him when he realized the morning after their first romp what he had done. His heart had been beating so fast and so hard in his chest that Arthur thought that it would explode. Arthur's face began to turn red thinking about what they had done, about the sweet nothings that Eames whispered in his ear, and then his brain kicked in and his face stopped turning red. Those sweet nothings had been just that: nothing. What they had done wasn't an expression of love. It wasn't even an expression of friendship. Eames was horny and Arthur was tired of being alone, of never having experienced such intimate contact before.

In the end, however, it meant nothing to both of them, and the idea was reinforced when Eames woke up and rolled out of bed as though nothing had happened. Arthur felt ashamed and humiliated, because for a brief moment he had dared to think and that was not good.

But then that first time turned into a second, then a third, and eventually it became a regular thing. So much so that it just became another fact of Arthur's life, regardless of if he wanted it to be or not. After a while, Arthur began to realize that he actually liked their unique relationship. Eames could still be as aggravating and annoying as ever, but the more Arthur got to know the Brit, the more he realized that he felt a fondness for all of the quirks. Eventually, Arthur realized something, something that, perhaps, he had known for a while but had been doing his best to avoid bringing it up, even to himself.

He was in love with Eames.

That realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Arthur was both pleased by the revelation and displeased. Pleased because, well, it was Eames; it wasn't as though it was hard to like the guy or even fall for him. Displeased because he knew how Eames was. He knew his ways, his habits, and he knew that commitment in a relationship was something that the forger just did not do. Sure, he would remain loyal to the team during a job, but when the job was over and they had to part ways, he would disappear into the horizon, leaving Arthur in his wake. That only reinforced Arthur's belief that they were, at the very most, fuck buddies, because calling them friends with benefits would imply that there was affection there, and their relationship was very much love/hate. And by love/hate, Arthur meant empty words and false compliments that neither of them meant whatsoever. He found it all extremely bittersweet.

Of course, he didn't tell Eames about his revelation. He didn't tell anyone. It was his dirty little secret and his alone; no one else could know. If someone else found out, there was the possibility that Eames would find out and if Eames found out, then Arthur would be utterly humiliated. To find out that the ugly duckling was in love with the handsome devil would have been awkward and awful and just horrible all around. Because their relationship was based solely on obtaining sexual release and nothing else. Sex was what their relationship revolved around. Arthur knew that, after the jobs were done and Eames would disappear, the Englishman would find another to share his bed. When he would tell himself that, he ignored the stab of hurt and pain that struck his heart. Just because he hadn't slept with anyone else other than Eames didn't mean that he had the right to be jealous or feel anguish when the man found someone else. They weren't together and the only feelings they felt towards each other was the fondness one coworker shares for another. The sex was just a release; nothing more and nothing less.

…

It was before completing the Fischer job that Arthur found out.

Of course, he had known for a while that it was possible for men to get pregnant. It was a rare happenstance and it was very dangerous for both the carrier and the fetus, but it was possible. Evolution saw to that, which is why Arthur kind of held a childish grudge against it. Arthur had been told when he was a younger teenager that he had the capability of bearing children, but that doing so was highly unlikely. As it was still a new adaptation to the male body, it was very hard for a man to become pregnant. More often than not, the man would miscarry the fetus. Depending on what job the man had, scarring could make it incredibly difficult for a man to get pregnant. There were many factors that contributed to a man actually carrying a baby to full term and Arthur, because of who he was and what he did, knew them all.

But he had always believed that he'd never actually become pregnant. First of all, who would want someone like him anyway? Second, he was a freak of nature and who would want to be even associated with someone like that? Third, why would someone want him to have their child when he himself couldn't even be considered cute? Fourth, there was the very high possibility that both he and the child would die before the nine months were up. And finally, Arthur knew, with all of his heart, that he wouldn't make a good parent. The jobs he pulled, the people he worked with, the things he knew; everything put him and his coworkers in danger, so why would he bring a child, an innocent being, into that?

Yet, it happened regardless of all of his reasonings and the risks involved. At first, Arthur thought that he had caught a bug or something because he had felt weird and started throwing up. When he didn't get over it after three days, he finally gave in and went to the doctor's, more so to appease Ariadne than anything else. Although Cobb was also concerned. As was Yusuf. Even Eames seemed a bit concerned, but Arthur told himself that that meant nothing. Eames was, after all, a forger and was good at keeping things hidden from others, much like Arthur himself. He had been expecting to be diagnosed with a common stomach virus or something, so he was more than surprised and shocked when he discovered that he was actually four weeks into his first pregnancy. After that, the doctors ran some more tests, all of which went by faster than the blink of an eye for Arthur.

His mind was still reeling from the news and all he could do was follow their instructions and wait to leave. Once he did leave, Arthur took his time returning to the warehouse were they set up shop. All he could think about was that he was carrying a child, Eames' child, and how he'd tell him. That was when it hit him: he couldn't tell Eames. What would the forger say if Arthur told him? What would he do? Arthur had a feeling that he knew what Eames would do; he'd leave and never return. Eames didn't commit to anything but the job at hand, so why would he stay with Arthur? Why would he want a child? They weren't lovers or boyfriends. Hell, they weren't even friends. They were coworkers. All they shared was a bed; there were no feelings involved.

So, when he got to the warehouse and went inside, he was quick to tell Ariadne that he was fine. It was just a stomach virus that had been going around. She relaxed, gave him a motherly smile, and told him to get plenty of rest if he could. Being the Point Man, that was pretty much impossible. Considering the recent news about the…the baby, a lot of things would be impossible real soon.

The following day, Arthur thought long and hard about what to do, what to say. In the end, he decided to follow through with his original thoughts and not tell Eames about the baby. He was going to break off whatever…arrangement or relationship he had with the Englishman. It wouldn't be hard, for Eames at least, and it was all for the best. Arthur knew that it was going to happen eventually. A fuck buddy relationship would never last throughout the ages and it did not a forever make. So, after he took the day to gather his thoughts and create some distance between himself and, well, everyone, Arthur told Eames that their arrangement was off.

"Whatever we have going on is over. We're getting ready to do the most dangerous job we've ever had. The last thing we're going to need is a distraction." A lie.

"It's not like we won't still be able to work together. We've gone through worse. Besides, you'll still be needed by everyone." He almost said by me but he bit his tongue.

"Once the job is over and done with, we'll all go our separate ways. More than likely, we won't see each other again for a long time." That was true. They would all go their separate ways, so what was the point in telling Eames about the baby?

"Besides, it never meant anything." Another lie.

"It's better this way. It'll make things easier for both of us. Especially during the job." Arthur only half lied. It would be easy for Eames, but it wouldn't be for Arthur. Not until he buried the hurt and pain so deep down that even he would forget about it.

As he spoke, he saw Eames' eyes flash with emotions that he couldn't name. But they were there for so brief a moment that Arthur thought he imagined them. When he was finished speaking, Eames flashed him a smirk and reached out to stroke his cheek. Arthur flinched so violently that Eames withdrew his hand at once, frowning as he did so.

"Darling, you are far too serious. You need to lighten up."

Arthur wanted to be felt alone. It was bad enough that he was carrying the child of the man that he had fallen hopelessly in love with, even if he refused to admit it to himself at the best of times. The last thing he wanted was for Eames to stick around with his nonchalant attitude, throwing endearments and flirting with him as though everything was okay. Everything wasn't okay, but Arthur couldn't tell him that. He wouldn't set himself up to be hurt and humiliated. And if Eames found out that he could bear children and that he was in love with him, that would only add injury to insult. Vaguely, Arthur hoped and prayed that their…that his child would look more like Eames. Bad enough that he himself was ordinary; why should his child suffer as well?

"Leave me alone, Eames. I mean it. And don't touch me again." Another flash of emotions reflected in Eames' eyes and Arthur's heart squeezed. He knew that he had offended the forger and he hated that he had hurt him, but it was for the best. For both of them.

"If that's what you want, darling." With that, Eames stood up and left, leaving Arthur alone and, for the first time in his life, at a complete loss as of what to do and think.

When the Fischer job ends, Arthur heaves a sigh of relief before heading home. Once he arrives at his apartment and realizes that he was alone save for the fetus growing inside of him, he felt incredibly lonely. But he should have been used to that, since, deep down, he was still the sickly thin and tall teenager from high school, the one that no one had ever wanted and would never want.

...

Arthur gave birth to Elizabeth three months premature. He was lucky to open his eyes and luckier still when he was able to see his daughter. Although she was hooked up to way too many machines for comfort, she is alive and that is what mattered. From his view through the glass window, Arthur could see her clearly and saw that she had his dark hair. Fear shot through him and he prayed the same pray he had been praying for months: that she wouldn't be anything like him.

After the doctors were confident that Elizabeth would do well enough on her own without the assistance of the machines, Arthur took her home. He was surprised to see Cobb, Ariadne, and Yusuf waiting for him, along with James and Phillipa. They had contacted the doctor he went to see after the Fischer job was done. Ariadne had still been worrying about him because he still looked and acted under the weather. When she had learned the truth, she contacted the others. Except Eames, who had disappeared off the face of the Earth. Arthur had to listen to them, mostly Ariadne, tell him that he should have told them, that they had been worried sick because he wouldn't text them or return their calls, and that they would have been more than glad to help him out.

Once they (Ariadne) had gotten everything off their chests, Ariadne asked to hold the baby. And then the conversation shifted to Elizabeth and how Arthur had faired up until his delivery. It had been stressful, he had admitted to them; the concern that he could miscarry the baby constantly loomed over him. As the delivery date drew nearer and nearer, the threat that they could both die began to take its own toll. Eventually, as Arthur predicted, the conversation turned towards who the father was. Arthur didn't tell them it was Eames. But Eames was eventually brought up. They didn't know where he was or what he was doing.

Arthur did.

He may not have been attractive, but he was the best point man in the business. It was a piece of cake to find out where Eames was and what he was doing. Out of spite, which he knew he shouldn't be feeling because it was his own fault that Eames wasn't there, he told them. Whatever they did with the information was entirely up to them, but Arthur knew that word about him having a child would reach the forger. A few months afterwards, he opens his apartment door to see Eames standing before him, dressed just as ridiculously as he almost always was. His smile was tight and he looked tired, like he hadn't had a decent night's sleep in ages. Arthur wasn't one to talk, however, because he himself rarely ever got a decent night's sleep.

"Arthur. May I come in? We need to talk. Now."

Arthur was a little surprised that Eames all but demanded to be let in. However, he opened the door and allowed the Englishman to enter. Having the man inside his apartment was awkward and intense and Arthur found himself wanting to bury his head in the sand. He didn't though; instead, he sat down and asked Eames to take a seat, hoping and praying that Elizabeth continued napping until the man left.

"Ariadne called me a few weeks ago. I was surprised. I never gave her my number nor did I tell anyone where I was going." But Arthur had.

"Not that it was unwelcome, but she had some interesting news. She told me that you had a baby. A little baby girl named Elizabeth." Arthur felt guilt swell up within him.

"She said that you both were doing fine. Ariadne also said that you never told them who the father was. Every time the subject was brought up, you carefully changed the subject. But she caught it. You know how she is." Arthur figured that she would notice that. Dom probably did too. They were both too smart to not pick up on it.

"That got me to thinking long and hard about what she was saying. Why would she tell me about you and the baby? And then it hit me." Of course it did. Eames wasn't an idiot, even though he sucked at math and couldn't spell to save his life.

"I'm Elizabeth's father, aren't I, Arthur? You can't lie to me; I already know that it's true. Why else would you exclude the information about her father? And that would also explain why you broke up with me." Arthur almost snorted. They had never been in an actual relationship, not from his point of view at least. All Eames wanted was sex and Arthur was just willing to go along with it because of his need for some sort of connection.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant, Arthur? Why would you keep that a secret? There's no shame in it. I mean…I wouldn't have minded…being there, y'know." Eames looked uncomfortable and Arthur's heart clenched. He looked uncomfortable because he was saying those things out of some sort of courtesy. If Arthur had actually told him about it, he wouldn't have stuck around. He would have bolted.

"Eames, I appreciate your words. Really, I do, but we both know that that's not how you really feel." Eames looked at him, his eyes narrowed.

"Really?" Irritation was evident in the forger's voice. Arthur was becoming irritated himself. He was getting tired of the mind games. All he wanted now was to take care of his daughter with the Brit haunting him. It was bad enough that Arthur had been foolish enough to fall in love with him; he didn't need to be lead around like a dog on a leash when the truth was right there in front of them.

"Yes, really. We were never in a relationship. It was just about sex, about getting some kind of release from the stressful jobs we did together with the team. There were no feelings involved or attachments, so it wasn't like me telling you about the pregnancy would have made you stick around. So you don't need to say whatever it is you think you ought to say or offer whatever you think you ought to offer because I don't want to be bothered by it. Regardless of what I want, you'll be gone before the night's out. You're never one to stick around; we both know that. So we might as well just wrap this up, say our good-byes, and call it a night." Eames was silent for a moment and the silence made Arthur's heart beat so fast that he was positive the older man could hear it.

"You really thought that it was all about sex? That everything meant absolutely nothing?" Arthur was confused at the questions. Why wouldn't it mean anything? Why would Eames want someone as dull and average as Arthur when he could have someone who was far more beautiful and attractive?

"Well, yeah. I mean, look at you and look at me. You're so…" Gorgeous. Handsome. Amazing. Wonderful. Arthur choked on his words, unable and unwilling to say them, knowing that if he did that his secret would be found out.

"And I'm…" Boring. Dull. Not beautiful. Not attractive. Not worthy.

"We're just too different. We'd never get along outside of work. You deserve more than what I can give you. And I deserve…" What did Arthur deserve? Loneliness? Misery? Pain? He had no idea. Perhaps he deserved a dull, boring life to suit his dull and boring appearance and personality. Eames' appearance and personality outshone his own; he'd be able to find someone else who could really make him happy. There was no way in hell that Arthur would be able to make him happy. He had to keep a tight control on his expressions, because he'd rather not have Eames pick up on the war raging within him. Even if they weren't even friends per se, Arthur still didn't want to burden Eames with all of the messed up thoughts that had filled his head since childhood.

"Darling, for someone of such remarkable talent, you are a dense fool." Arthur managed to choke out a weak laugh at that. Eames' remark brought back bittersweet memories, memories that sometimes made Arthur question his thoughts and his conclusions.

"I'm sorry. I wish this could have ended differently." Eames sat back in his chair and studied Arthur. Arthur did his best to not meet his gaze, a task that was easier said than done.

"I'll figure you out yet, Arthur. Just you wait. In the mean time, I shall remain close by." Arthur looked at him with shock and disbelief. A sad, humorless chuckle left the forger.

"Elizabeth is my daughter as well, Arthur, and I would like to be part of her life. And part of yours. Don't forget, love, that you were the one who broke us up. You'll have to do better than that to get rid of me." Arthur's dark eyes were wide and he couldn't exactly wrap his thoughts around what Eames had said.

"I told you that I wanted you to leave me alone." His voice sounded so weak and powerless to his own ears; Lord only knew what it sounded like to Eames'. The older man gave him a sad smile as he leaned forward.

"You didn't mean that. You never wanted me to leave, darling. You were just afraid, as you are now. But of what, I have yet to discover that. But I will. Just you wait." Eames gave him a smile and a wink, both of which weren't as flirty or suggestive as they usually were. Arthur's thoughts raged inside of his mind, clashing with everything Eames had said and had implied.

"Now, if you don't mind, I would like to see our daughter." The battle inside Arthur's mind was just beginning and he had no idea how it'd end.

…

Years passed. Jobs came and went. The team parted ways and reunited when they were called up again. Things changed, but not so much. Arthur was still the best point man there was; Ariadne the best architect; Eames the best forger; Yusuf the best chemist; and Cobb was the best extractor. But there were some things that did change.

Elizabeth grew bigger and bigger with each passing day. One day, she was a happy, energetic two year-old. The next day, she was seven and climbing every tree and building she could get her hands out. And before Arthur knew it, she was thirteen and one of the tallest kids in her class. She had Eames' hair, his laid back, nonchalant attitude, but she had Arthur's dark eyes and his intellect. Books filled her room along with the poker chips that she had gotten into the habit of collecting.

Eames, much to Arthur's surprise and pleasure, stuck around. He never strayed from them and he was a wonderful father, even though Arthur had never told Elizabeth that Eames was, indeed, her father. It had been an awful time to convince Eames that Elizabeth could never know who he really was to her. Aside from being an overprotective parent, Arthur was still waiting for the forger to take off at any moment's notice. The last thing his daughter needed was for her father to take off on her. And he himself didn't want to go through that. Not only that, but Arthur had never told Cobb or any of the others that Eames had fathered his child. They saw him for what he really was, so he doubted that they'd believe that someone as average as him would be found in Eames' bed.

Bu Eames had started to turn his thinking around. Just a little bit a first, but then more and more as the years passed.

Perhaps their relationship hadn't been just about sex. Perhaps Eames had felt a genuine attraction and affection for Arthur. Perhaps it was Arthur who wasn't seeing the whole picture. Perhaps he needed to change his thinking. Perhaps he needed the push to change it. Perhaps he had been wrong all along. Perhaps he was someone who could be loved. But Eames kept his distance and didn't instigate anything. There had been a few times when Arthur had found himself standing too close to the forger or went into sleep mode beside him, but he ignored those instances. Whatever chance he had a being with Eames had been squashed by now and there was nothing left for the older man to give him. Not in that way, at least.

Eames helped out a lot with Elizabeth. He really was an amazing father and Arthur felt guilty about thinking that the man wouldn't want to be around. Whenever he could help out, he would. If Arthur had to go and help Cobb with a job that required just the two of them, Eames would babysit. During the summer, when he'd take Elizabeth along with him on jobs, Eames would help keep her entertained and fed and made sure that she always had a bed to sleep in. It amazed Arthur and made him feel incredibly guilty at the same time.

Perhaps he had been wrong about everything. But, more than likely, he was too late to fix things. The ugly duckling may have been changing into a beautiful swan, but the cost for doing so had been so high that he may never be able to mend the bridges that had been burned.

…

"Why can't I go to the party?"

Arthur sighed and rubbed his forehead. He had gone over this a dozen times with Elizabeth. There was a party going on at one of her friend's house and she wanted to go so badly. But she was fifteen and there would be boys at the party. If it had been a sleepover, that would have been different. However, this was a party with boys and that brought a whole new level to the argument. It wasn't because Arthur didn't trust Elizabeth, because he did; it was the other teenagers that he didn't trust. Even Eames had advised Elizabeth against going, what with her being her 'uncle' and all.

"Because, Elizabeth, there will be boys there. And it's Sunday, which means that tonight's a school night. So the answer, for the hundredth time, is no." Elizabeth scowled at him and looked so much like Eames that it wasn't even funny. She was angry and her eyes were watching him with a calculating gaze that Arthur had given others numerous times.

"You're just afraid that I'll get knocked up like you did. Well, I'm not an idiot, Dad. I can actually make good choices and avoid getting pregnant from a one night stand." With that, Elizabeth stood up and stalked upstairs to her room. Arthur was stunned into silence. He hadn't been expecting that. With one quick pacing glance at Eames, who had stood up and was approaching him, Arthur grabbed his jacket and left the house.

…

"Lizzie? Are you all right?" Eames knocked on Elizabeth's bedroom door. Gently, he opened it up and entered, his eyes trained on his daughter, who was sitting her desk, glaring out of her window.

"It's not fair. He never lets me do anything with my friends. I never get to go to the movies or out to eat or anything. It's not fair." She huffed. Eames sat down on the bed.

"You go to the movies and go out to eat all the time, love." She sighed and turned to look at him.

"Yeah, with Dad and you and Dom and Ariadne. And sometimes Yusuf, if he's around. But never with my friends. Never with people my own age. It's like I'm a prisoner or something." Eames sighed. He wasn't good at these kinds of talks. Ariadne was better at them, but she was in Paris on a job.

"You know, you really hurt your father's feelings." Elizabeth rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest.

"It's not like I didn't say anything that wasn't true. Dad got himself knocked up from a one night stand. He was careless. He was drunk and tired of feeling alone and unloved and like he didn't deserve anyone." Eames raised an eyebrow at her. Arthur had never told him how he explained to Elizabeth how he had gotten pregnant, but he assured Eames that he hadn't been mentioned.

"You're father said that, did he?" Elizabeth nodded.

"Yeah. He said that he got tired of feeling dull and boring and that he wanted to feel like he mattered, even if it really did mean nothing. So he got drunk off his ass. How responsible is that? And he's supposed to be the best point man alive." Eames looked dead ahead, not really seeing anything.

"Allow me to tell you what really happened, Elizabeth." He rarely called her Elizabeth, but when he did, she always paid full attention to him. Eames took a deep breath and looked his daughter in the eye.

"Keep in mind that Arthur and I didn't want to tell you until you were old enough to understand. And because your father has, much to my surprise, very low self esteem." Elizabeth nodded and Eames was pleased to see that she was paying him full attention.

"A long time ago, Arthur and I were in a relationship. To me, it was a normal relationship. I had wanted to be with him for so long and when I finally had the chance, I was quite astonished and happy. But Arthur had been put through hell as a child. He was often picked on because the other school children were jealous of how beautiful he was. Well, it was drilled into his mind that he wasn't beautiful or desirable." Eames took a breath and released it before he continued.

"I tried to change that. To get him to see that he was the most gorgeous creature alive on this earth. I thought that it had worked. But I was wrong. Apparently, he believed that our relationship was just one sided and that I didn't love him like he loved me. Eventually, he broke up with me and that destroyed me inside. I loved him thought and I wanted to him to be happy more than anything else in the world. So, after we parted ways, I stayed away. Until I was told that he had given birth to a baby girl, one who looked an awful lot like me. " Eames sat up and smiled at his daughter.

"Your father has always been more than ready to admit that he is the best point man money can buy, but he would never believe someone when they complimented him on his looks. He couldn't trust me enough to believe my words. So, we never got back together, but I never strayed from him. How could I when he is the only thing I want? To prove to him that I meant what I said, I remained here and I've been here, for both of you, since you were a baby." Elizabeth looked stunned and Eames felt a small spark of guilt stab him in his heart. He hated having kept such a secret from her, but Arthur had insisted.

"So…you're my…dad?" Eames knew what she meant, that he was the one who had gotten Arthur pregnant. His was the seed that allowed her to become more than an egg.

"I should have told you, I know. But you've always seemed to be more like me than Arthur, so I figured that you'd pick up on it." Elizabeth looked down and Eames smiled. He knew it.

"I had a suspicion. I wasn't sure though…" Her head perked up and her eyes sparkled.

"This means that you could give me permission to go to the party." Eames laughed.

"No go, love. You heard your father. Now, I have to go and do some damage control" Eames stood up and left the room. Elizabeth followed after him.

"Shouldn't I go with you? I mean, I have to apologize too…" Eames shook his head and grabbed his jacket.

"No. Just stay here. This is something that I should have figured out and fixed this a long time ago. Lock the door, love." With that, he left and chased after Arthur.

…

Arthur knew that he was no longer alone. After years of being near Eames, so close and yet so far, he could just feel his presence. He loved it, but he wasn't sure if he'd be let back in, not after all of the heartache he caused the forger. But he couldn't help the very small smile that spread across his face when Eames sat down beside him on the grass on the small hill in the park.

"I told Elizabeth everything." Arthur huffed a soft laughed.

"I figured you would eventually. It was only a matter of time." Eames nodded beside him and Arthur felt the older man's body heat spread over to him. He wanted more of it, more of Eames.

"She told me a few things as well, darling, and I think I've finally figured you out." Arthur turned and looked at the Englishman. His eyes met Eames' and the world around them stopped.

"I haven't been with anyone else since our last time together, you know. I refused to sleep with someone I didn't want. And darling, you're the one I want. You're the one I've always wanted." Eames reached out and cupped Arthur's face. Without him realizing it, he leaned into the touch. His mind was blank and he found himself believing Eames and trusting in his words for once.

"It was never just about sex, although you are the best I've ever had. I wanted you. All of you. Everything you could dish out and more. And you can't lie to me and say that you don't love me back, because I know you do. I knew back before you broke up with me." Arthur chewed on his bottom lip. Had he really been that obvious? If so, then the others probably knew it as well and they probably knew that Eames was Elizabeth's father. Oh well. He supposed that it really didn't matter anymore anyway.

"I'm sorry." And he was sorry. Sorry for all of the pain he put the other man through. Eames just gave him a smile and pulled him into a tight, warm hug. Arthur returned it and buried his face in the Brit's jacket.

"I know you are, darling. I've gotten so much better at reading you. Granted, I knew a lot about you fifteen minutes after we first met." Arthur chuckled and scooted closer to the older man.

"I knew more about you though." Eames laughed and the air around them relaxed. It was as though Arthur hadn't put the other man through hell and high water. But time had allowed him wounds to scar over and he began to realize that all of the sweet nothings that Eames would whisper to him were actually genuine and sincere. He felt like a fool and he wanted to kick himself a million times over and then some.

"Well, it is your job to know everything about everyone, isn't it darling? You're quite good at what you do." It felt so nice to be in Eames' arms. He had missed it and he had missed them.

"Eames… Are you…? Do you still…?" Arthur couldn't find the words. But he didn't have to keep looking for long. Eames' mouth claimed his own in a soft, loving kiss. It wasn't passionate or intense or full of fire and heat, but it was what he needed. Thinking back on it now, Arthur realized that Eames usually did whatever he needed him to do. He felt so selfish and so low, but he could change that. Couldn't he?

"Darling, you don't even have to ask." Arthur smiled and looked up at him, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Let's get back. I'm sure that Elizabeth is missing us. And I'd love to catch up with you." Eames gave him a wolfish grin. They stood up and, hand in hand, slowly made their way back to the house.